ARMY AWARDS GRANT TO NANOGEN FOR BIOWARFARE DETECTION
Nanogen said it has received a three-year, $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Army for continued development of biological warfare detection systems.
The San Diego, Calif.-based company, which markets its NanoChip technology to scientists and laboratories conducting genomic research, said the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Disease at Fort Detrick, Md., will supervise the research.
The goal is to develop miniaturized electronic devices for isolating and detecting biological warefare and infectious disease agents from human blood samples, the company said.
It’s Nanogen’s second such grant from the Army research institute. The first was awarded last year.
(Dr. Mark Madou of Nanogen talks about the future of small tech in the Small Tech 2001 webcast.)
FIRMS DEVELOP NEW PROTEIN ANALYSIS TECHNOLOGY
Two life sciences firms say they are moving ahead to commercialize a microfluidic technology for identifying and analyzing proteins.
Proteome Systems and Shimadzu Biotech have completed the research and development stage of the Chemical Printer.
The instrument enables microprinting part of a protein spot, leaving the rest of the sample available for further study. Under current methods, the whole of each sample in a protein array has to be sacrificed in the process.
The Chemical Printer will be integrated into a Proteome Systems platform and will be sold separately by Shimadzu.
LIGHTCONNECT MEMS PASS INDUSTRY RELIABILITY STANDARDS
LightConnect said it has received internationally recognized optical industry standards for MEMS-based parts used in fiber optic networks.
The company said it is the first time MEMS-based variable optical attenuators have passed reliability guidelines set forth by the Telcordia protocols, which are used to determine the quality of the manufacturing process.
ADVANCED MICROSENSORS SHIPS THIN FILM TAPE HEADS
Advanced MicroSensors Inc. has begun high-volume shipping of thin film tape heads to Quantum Corp.
Advanced MicroSensors is working with Lafe Technology Ltd. on production of the tape heads, which offer high storage capacity and are used in telecommunications and industrial markets.
Advanced, based in Shrewsbury, Mass., designs and develops MEMS and optical MEMS, as well as thin film tape head components.
REPORT: MEMS READY FOR RAPID GROWTH
The growth spurred by commercialization of MEMS technology was slower than anticipated in the past few years but is expected to quadruple by 2004, according to a new industry report.
Technical Insights, a business unit of Frost & Sullivan, said one of the hot growth sectors for MEMS will be communications. Analysts expect it to increase by more than 30 percent of the total market by 2005, led by photonic switches, tunable lasers and optical networking filters.
The report identifies several next-generation devices, including mirror arrays for photonic switches, projection systems and wearable displays. More MEMS are being developed for mobile phones, relays and biochips.
The rapid growth comes as new fabrication plants open, and as traditional semiconductor foundries get involved with MEMS. Manufacturing capacity constraints caused by changes in industry focus also should be short-lived, the report said.
The report is available for a fee. Cost varies depending on whether it is bought alone or as part of a subscription to Technical Insights’ newsletters and market analysis reports.
CALIPER, AGILENT LAUNCH NEW LAB-ON-A-CHIP DEVICE
Caliper Technologies Corp. and Agilent Technologies Inc. have launched a new system designed to boost drug discovery and development.
The companies have developed the Cell Fluorescence LabChip kit for use with Agilent’s 2100 Bioanalyzer. The kit, a lab-on-a-chip device, performs a range of common cell analyses.
The kit runs on a new version of the bioanalyzer, recognized as the first application of lab-on-a-chip technology. The new device can drive fluid movement through channels of the chip by pressure or vacuum as well as the electrokinetic movement used in the original.
Officials said the system, which should begin shipping later this month, consolidates nucleic acid, protein and cellular analyses.
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By Jeff Karoub, 734-528-6291.